Oral Cancer Recurrence

Oral cancer recurrence is one of the major drawbacks of the disease. In many cases, even the best of the treatment is inefficient to eliminate chances of mouth cancer recurrence. Recurrence has been a major concern for men than women as the cancer is more prevalent in men. Recurrence is also a major obstacle in proper elimination of the tumors and makes a person permanently vulnerable to cancerous growth if not treated right in the initial stages. Lip cancer recurrence should also be considered while treating oral cancer.

Oral cancer recurrence meaning

Oral cancer is one of the most severe types of cancerous developments worldwide. It comes under the category of head and neck cancer and is more common in people above the age of 45 years. Chances of being infected by cancerous tumors in the oral cavity increase with age and are difficult to cure in older people as compared to young ones.

Oral cancer is completely curable if detected and treated in the early stages. Chances of eradicating cells decrease as the disease progresses in the advanced levels of oral cancer. Also, the tumors can be removed by a way of surgery if detected in the initial stages and the possibility of their recurrence is the least in this case.

Exposure to chemicals and radiations are the only major treatment options when the tumors reach an advanced stage. Such treatments are usually harsh and put a bad impact on the person's oral health as well as his overall physique. These techniques usually curb the abnormal cell-growth by killing or damaging infected cells and tissues. This also seriously affects the health of other normal tissues and cells present in the areas adjacent to the treated areas and makes them the next target of cancerous cells.

Damage to healthy cells and tissues directly impacts the cell-development process and forces the adjacent cells to behave abnormally due to lack of vital resources like oxygen and blood. This abnormal cell-growth becomes intense and leads to regeneration of tumors in the body with the passage of time. This process is known as recurrence of oral cancer and is much dangerous and life-threatening than the first-time occurrence of tumors. Recurrence is based on a number of factors and the chances of regeneration of tumors can be minimized by undergoing thorough and apt mouth cancer treatment.

Factors responsible for oral cancer recurrence

Geographic factors play a considerable role in regeneration of cancer tumors in the mouth areas. Continuous exposure to sun is one of the main causes of the disease and may cause burns, injuries or ulcers in the lip areas. If left untreated for a long time, such injuries and ulcers may cause severe damage to the lip areas and force the cells and tissues to perform inefficiently and behave uncontrollably. Anti-UV (Ultra Violet) lotions are quite helpful in such cases and minimize the chances of skin irritations on the lips and other adjacent areas.

Gender is also an important factor for recurrence of mouth cancer. The disease is more prevalent in males as compared to females and the numbers of cases are almost double in men as compared to women. Thus, the chances of recurrence are more in males.

Personal habits like chewing tobacco and smoking are very harmful for occurrence as well as recurrence of cancer cells in the oral cavity. People who have undergone oral cancer treatment are highly prone to recurrence if they consume tobacco or other carcinogenic substances in the post-treatment period. Excess consumption of alcohol is another cause of mouth cancer recurrence and may lead to rapid generation of cancerous cells in the oral cavity.

Lifestyle and dietary pattern plays a main role in avoiding recurrence of malignant cells in the mouth or other areas of head and neck. People who consume a balanced diet rich in nutrients and proteins are less likely to suffer regeneration of polyps in the oral areas as compared to those who do not consume healthy and hygienic diet. Also, regular exercise and active lifestyle can indirectly benefit in avoiding the recurrence by keeping the immune system of the person intact.

Medical background plays an important role in maximizing or minimizing the chances of redevelopment of cancer cells in the mouth. Persons with history of oral cancer or cancer treatment and those with family history of oral or any other type of cancer are more susceptible to both occurrence as well as recurrence of the disease. Also, the symptoms displayed by such people are quite complicated and subtle leading to considerable complications in detection and diagnosis cells.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is another major cause of the disease. The virus is transmitted by unsafe sexual activities and involvement in multiple sex-partners. HPV vaccines should be taken to avoid or curb the damages caused by this virus. HPV directly impacts the resistance power of the victim and makes the process of recurrence of cancer cells smooth and rapid.

Early signs of oral cancer recurrence

Formations of lump in the lip or tongue areas or any other areas adjacent to it are the most basic signs of recurrence of oral cancer. Ulcers, skin cracks, infections or injuries that develop in the oral cavity should be taken seriously and diagnosed thoroughly to detect presence of polyps or malignant cells. Many people may suffer from chewing problems, uneasiness in swallowing, difficulties in lip movements and discomfort in speaking. Such oral cancer symptoms are the basic indicators of recurrence of cancer cells in the oral areas and should not be ignored.

Oral cancer recurrence has to be tackled carefully as the side-effects of treatment can be high enough to cause severe damage to the victim. Lip and tongue biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and X-rays are very useful to detect the tumors and understand their intensity. Surgery is the most basic treatment to eliminate small tumors. Exposure to radiations and chemicals are the only options if the tumors are not healed by surgery and show a tendency to metastasize.